Children's Home run by Care and Management Services Ltd in Birmingham

Inspection report children’s home: SC419229 1 SC419229 Registered provider: Care And Management Services Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home for up to four children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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Good

How well children and young people are helped and protected Requires improvement to be good

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Good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers Good

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Good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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Good

Date of last inspection: 10 January 2017

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Good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Sustained effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection

None Inspection report children’s home: SC419229 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people make good progress while at the home.  Young people enjoy positive relationships with staff.  Young people participate in a good range of activities and have fun.  Staff support young people’s health needs well and good systems are in place to promote their well-being.  Staff communicate well with young people’s social workers. This helps them to progress young people’s plans.  Staff employ good behaviour management approaches.  Managers support staff well by having regular staff meetings and supervisions.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Consideration needs to be given to the maintenance and safe storage of ligature cutters.  Ensure that staff receive specific training regarding self-harm.  Evidence that all necessary recruitment checks have been completed.  Ensure that the development plan contains clear actions to support the home’s improvement.  Notify Ofsted of all significant events at the home.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/06/2016 Full Good 15/12/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 02/07/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC419229 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. Specifically relating to the maintenance and storage of ligature cutters. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(b)) 11/08/2017

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c)) Specifically, in relation to self- harm. 11/08/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The requirements are that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(3)(d)) 11/08/2017

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Recommendations

 Regulation 40(4) requires the registered person to notify Ofsted and other relevant persons if one of the situations specified in regulation 40(a)-(d) occurs, or if there is an incident relating to the protection, safeguarding or welfare of a child living in the home, which the registered person considers to be serious (40(4)(e). Examples of incidents that are likely to be considered to be serious affecting the welfare of a child include a serious incident of self-harm. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraphs 14.10 and 14.11) Inspection report children’s home: SC419229 4  Ensure that quality of care reviews are used as a tool for continuous improvement in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4) Specifically, that in the development plan the manager outlines clear actions to improve or maintain the

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand young people’s needs well. Young people are well cared for and make good progress. One social worker said, ‘X is doing fantastic, it’s the longest period of stability that she has had that I have known.’ Young people are happy and develop positive relationships with the staff. Written plans completed by staff link well to those from the placing authority. They help staff to develop a consistent approach to young people’s care. The staff use an additional document called ‘My Plan’. This record enables young people to explain their likes and dislikes, as well as write about important issues regarding their care. This helps staff to provide individualised care to young people. Young people have their say and contribute to reviews about their care. Young people’s review meetings include the young people’s view. This shows that young people contribute to their future plans. Young people enjoy a good range of activities, including karate lessons and gym

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

sessions. The inspector was treated to the singing skills of one young person, who regularly attends a local recording studio to develop her talent further. Activities help young people to build their self-esteem and confidence. Staff support young people to see their families, where appropriate. Contact arrangements are organised when young people first come to the home and develop as the relationships with their families change. The staff respond well and this flexibility allows young people to stay in touch with important family members. The staff have a good awareness of different health services that are available to young people, in particular those that support mental health. Excellent arrangements are in place for those young people transferring to the home from hospital. Detailed crisis and safety plans provide guidance for the staff to follow. Clear plans support young people’s well-being. Staff develop good links with the organisation’s therapy team. The therapists

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

provide the staff with additional support to enhance young people’s development. Medication arrangements are strong, especially considering some of the complex administrative demands. The safe handling of medication keeps young people safe and well. Young people attend education settings best suited to their individual needs. Young people are achieving in a range of subjects. During the inspection, an education meeting was held. Teachers praised the staff’s commitment to the young person. This supportive relationship between staff and young people helps young people to progress their learning. Since the last full inspection, one young person has gone on to university. This shows that staff are ambitious for young people and help young people to achieve Inspection report children’s home: SC419229 5 academic success. The home is well decorated and comfortable throughout. Young people personalise their rooms well, increasing the feeling that the home is theirs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff listen to young people and consider their views. Young people’s meetings enable young people to raise issues, such as bedtimes and activities. Young people will also talk about things that they are unhappy with and want to change. Records show how the management team responds to the issues that young people raise. This means that young people are confident that their ideas are respected and important. Young people are aware of the complaints procedure. When issues are raised, staff looked into them quickly. Transition arrangements for young people moving into and on from the home are well considered. When young people leave the home, this is done with sensitivity, and staff provide young people with good support. This helps young people to move on to the next stage in their lives.

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improvement to be good

Young people are kept safe because of the diligent work of the staff. Staff have a good awareness of safeguarding procedures and they know who to contact if they have concerns about a young person’s safety and well-being. Managers have been involved in strategy discussions to examine how best to keep young people safe. Staff check health and safety issues regularly, keeping staff and young people safe. The locality risk assessment examines the risks involved with the home and local area well. It is updated following incidents to reduce risk. A wide range of individual risk assessments are completed, raising staff’s awareness of how to respond to young people’s behaviours. Some young people display self-harming behaviours. Staff have not completed training specific to this area. This puts the young people at risk. Staff have used ligature cutters, when necessary, to support young people’s health. The cutters show signs of wear and

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improvement to be good

are stored in a way that could decrease their effectiveness. This does not fully promote young people’s safety. Young people put themselves at risk when they go missing from the home. Staff respond well to such situations and make every effort to locate young people and ensure their safe return. Young people have the opportunity to meet with an independent person to discuss the event, in an attempt to prevent them from going missing again. Staff promote positive behaviours through a reward system. This is individualised to suit each young person’s need. Young people understand the reward system and respond well to it. One young person said, ‘Your targets are different to each other, so that you have to work on the things that are important just for you.’ Sanctions are rarely necessary, with staff using discussions to increase young people’s awareness about the effects of their behaviours. When sanctions are used, records show that these are fair.

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improvement to be good

Inspection report children’s home: SC419229 6 Staff use restraint when young people put themselves or others at risk. Staff complete detailed records. The manager monitors incidents of restraint to ensure that young people and staff are supported. Staff challenge bullying behaviours well. They use key working and meetings with both parties to reduce risk and prevent reoccurrence. Staff recruitment is not rigorous enough. For example, the manager does not always scrutinise references well enough. As a result, the manager is unable to show that all staff can work safely with young people. This does not protect young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good range of experience in residential care. She is qualified to level 5 in care management. The staff team has a strong awareness of the different needs of the young people and how these are being met in the home. A development plan shows that the manager is aware of the areas that need to improve. However, the plan does not contain clear targets. This makes it difficult to review what has been achieved and what impact this has had on the quality of care provided to young people. The independent visitor has changed since the last inspection. As a result, external monitoring is now robust. Independent monitoring reports reflect what is working well in the home and what needs to improve. The manager uses this information to develop the service. The manager monitors the quality of care provided, through checking paperwork and talking to the staff and the young people. As a result, the manager keeps up to date

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

with young people’s progress. The manager challenges other services to make sure that young people get the best care possible. Managers and staff advocate for young people to ensure that they get the support that they need. Working relationships between the staff and partner agencies are very positive. One social worker described the relationship as ‘a partnership approach to [young people’s] care’. This gives young people consistency. The staff work in line with the home’s statement of purpose. All admissions are thoroughly assessed. As a result, staff try their best to make sure that young people will get on with those already living in the home. Young people receive helpful information about the home when they arrive. This includes information about how they will be looked after and how to make a complaint if they are unhappy. Staff have a good range of experience and qualifications. Effective supervision and

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

appraisal enables staff to examine their own practice. Managers ensure that staff have individual training plans to support their development. Staff are positive about the leadership team. One staff member said, ‘The manager and deputy manager are always there for you if you need them.’ Team meetings are well organised and staff contribute well. This helps to maintain good standards of care for young people. Leaders and managers do not always notify Ofsted when the emergency services have attended the home. As a result, the regulator cannot accurately monitor events in the home, to make sure that staff have taken the appropriate action to safeguard children. Inspection report children’s home: SC419229 7

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children’s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC419229 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care And Management Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Park Business Centre, Hastingwood Industrial Park, Wood Lane, Birmingham B24 9QR

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Inspector(s)

Andrew Hewston, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC419229 9 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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